"THE HORSE meat scandal in 2013 brought home to everyone the importance of traceability of our food supplies and illustrated the importance of tackling food crime from farm to fork.
Information sharing remains critical to unearthing and dealing with food offences. The free Scottish Food Crime Hotline has been launched to give members of the public and industry a dedicated telephone line to report anonymously any suspicions of food crime.
The new number – 0800 028 7926 – is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is also an option to report concerns via an anonymous online form.
FSS’s Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit – which was established in response to the 2013 report from the then Minister for Public Health following the horsemeat incident – will use the hotline to gather vital intelligence to target those involved in criminal activities, which costs the UK food and drink industry an estimated £1.2bn annually.
There are specific issues that affect the farming community – ranging from rustling and the illegal slaughter of animals, to more serious fraud involving the misrepresentation or substitution of genuine Scottish quality produce – that must be tackled and will require a multi-agency approach. The new partnership with Crimestoppers will offer consumers a trusted platform to report any concerns of wrongdoing in relation to food and drink.
Scotland’s farmers have a critical role to play, in delivering quality, responsibly-sourced produce that contributes to the nation’s economy and instils confidence in consumers.
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